Dog Training – The Name Game

Training our dogs is very important, and the first thing we get our students who attend our classes to teach their dog is its name.

We should be using a dogs name to let it know that we want its attention and that there might be further instructions. Playing the name game teaches your dog to look at you and give you their attention, it will also help with all your future training.

How To Play
1. Make sure you start this game in a non-distracting environment at home to help your dog succeed.
2. All you need to do is say the dogs name, if they turn to look at you ‘click’ and treat.It’s as simple as that!

Tips for Success
1.Make sure you don’t move your hands to reward before the dog has fully turned to look at you. You don’t want them associating it with you body movements.

2. Practice seven times a day to start with.

3. Practice in each room of the house before progressing to outside.

4. Work when your dog is hungry.

5. Use good treats – the mushier and smellier the better! Inside, you should be able to use your dogs kibble. Outdoors, use a variety of high value treats such as chicken, beef, or liver.

6. Do not reward your dog if he doesn’t respond to his name, and do not repeat the name. If you repeat his name, he will learn not to listen to you!

7. Reward each and every time your dog is successful to enforce the reinforcement history of the action. If we don’t reward, the behaviour may begin to deteriorate.

8. You can use Life Rewards such as throwing a ball or proceeding out the door for a walk once they get the hang of the game.

9. Try not to use your dogs name during the day outside of training. Otherwise, it could become background noise to your dog. You always want to pair your dogs name with the behaviour of looking at you.